This section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.
Motor vehicles are increasingly being equipped with cover panels, such as windows, which have having closing devices configured as automatic or semi-automatic devices to close the window without requiring a user to hold a switch throughout the closing process. Such cover panels are commonly equipped with obstacle detection systems to prevent the closing devices from causing the cover panels to close on an obstacle such as a body part extending through the open window frame. Most obstacle detection systems in use today are contact-type systems, which rely on contact between the window and the obstacle before the obstacle can be detected. Contact-type obstacle detection systems have inherent drawbacks in that they can only detect obstacles which contact the moving window pane, oftentimes only when the obstacle prevents the cover panels from moving, after some pinching force is applied to the obstacle.
Thus, there is an increasing need for a non-contact obstacle detection system that prevents the cover panel from colliding with an obstacle while the cover panel is closing. Furthermore, other desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the foregoing technical field and background.